Transportation is critical in most of the developed world. Transportation provides for the quick delivery and exchange of products and services. Many of these products and services help to create and sustain a better society for all. In Melbourne, the transfer of services is critical to the overall functioning of the area. Costs and disruptions must therefore be limited within the area. As our data suggests transit time, parking, and lack of alternative travel methods is harming the Melborne area. In particular travel to the Melbourne CBD and the subsequent costs of parking should be addressed. Key Findings and Critical Analysis

Our key findings indicate that Melborne constituents are concerned about the cost of parking and the overall lack of alternative public transportation methods. As indicated above, many people within society travel as means to exchange their goods and services. Melbourne is no different in this regard. Over 70% of the individuals surveyed, travel to Melbourne CBD for shopping, work, or social events. In all three, individuals are exchanges goods such as labor for money and other items. Over 50% of the individuals surveyed stay longer than 2 hours parking when they visit. 44% people of respondents typical drive to Melbourne on the weekends. As can be gleamed from these statistics, Melbourne can be considered a business hub. Most people come for work or leisure. They individuals typically come on the weekend. When they do come, they tend to stay for at least a few hours to engage in their leisure or shopping activity.

Unfortunately, the search for parking when a respondent arrives can be daunting. 40% of people feel stressed and anxious when parking their vehicles. A stressed environment is not conducive to purchasing behavior, which as discussed above, Melbourne is attempting to foster. Only 15% of respondents believe there is adequate parking in the area to address the needs of visitors. A majority, 75% rate the parking experience as neutral or disappointing.

Although people enjoy traveling to Melbourne to participate in work, shopping, and leisure...

Parking is becoming stressful due in part to inadequate availability, lack of supporting infrastructure, and high costs. What makes matters worse is that respondents don't often travel to Melbourne. 54% of respondents travel to the area, just once a month. The lack of parking coupled with high costs, ultimately detracts from the overall appear of the area. Those visitors who visit infrequently are therefore left with a bad first impression, which has implications for the entire area.
Summary

Our findings indicate that parking is an overall detractor from the experience of Melbourne visitors. Not only is it costly, and inefficient, customers appear to not have an alternative. The solution appears simple. First parking prices for available areas should be lowered. 50% of respondents stated that cheaper parking would be the solution for CBD. It appears customers would not mind the hassle of parking if it were cheaper. Second, the infrastructure should be improved. Parking garages, public transportation, and parking apps would be helpful. A majority of Melbourne customers do not use a parking app. Developing and marketing a parking application, would make the parking process much more efficient. Finally, parking garages would have to facilitate a much more efficient transition from parking to shopping. Constructing parking garages, although costly, can help improve the overall parking experience. We also believe, that prices could potentially remain the same or even increase, depending on the value created from the parking garages.

Quantitative Data Production

We first implemented online surveys to customers in both residential and rural areas within the Melbourne area. We also partnered with neighboring technical colleges and universities to distribute our online survey. We distributed online surveys in the afternoon and on the weekends. We included question related to travel, costs, and the overall parking experience. We also asked questions to determine what customers believed to be the…